Notts County give Eriksson permission to speak to Swedish FA about national job

• Eriksson said to be 'flattered' by interest
• Roy Hodgson also on Swedish FA's shortlist

Sven-Goran Eriksson is free to discuss the vacant national coaching job with the Swedish FA, according to Notts County chief executive, Peter Trembling, right. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Monday 19 October 2009 19.10 EDT
First published on Monday 19 October 2009 19.10 EDT

Sven-Goran Eriksson has been given permission by Notts County to speak to the Swedish Football Association about becoming head coach of his home nation after less than three months as director of football at Meadow Lane. Eriksson is yet to speak publicly about his future, though the Swedish FA president, Lars-Ake Lagrell, confirmed he had contacted the former England manager about the vacant position. The Fulham manager, Roy Hodgson, is also on the shortlist. "I am a friend of Svennis and know how good a manager he is," Lagrell said.

According to reports in Sweden, Eriksson has already sounded out Tony Gustavsson, the former manager of the Stockholm club Hammarby, about becoming his assistant if he was to succeed Lars Lagerback, who departed last week after Sweden failed to qualify for next summer's World Cup.

The County chief executive, Peter Trembling, said the club would be happy to allow Eriksson to continue to discuss the role with Lagrell, and hinted that if the compensation was sizeable enough the 61-year-old could leave. "They [the Swedish FA] are looking for a manager and Sven is always going to be linked," Trembling said, before playing down the prospect of him taking the job.

"I'd be extremely surprised. We had dinner on Saturday night and all the talk was about who would be the new manager. Sven is committed [though] we've said all along Sven is free to talk to any clubs."

When asked why Trembling said: "We might get a huge transfer fee. We've said all along we wouldn't stop Sven taking the dream job, whatever the dream job may be."

It is thought that if Eriksson were to be made a firm offer by the Swedish FA he would be keen to take the post, though whether he could share the role with his current commitments at County is questionable.

The Swedish FA will now ask the club for permission to make an official approach to discuss a post for which Lagerback earned around 2m krona [£1.8m]. Eriksson's basic salary at County is unknown, but with bonuses it is believed he would be able to earn around £1m. There is a seven-figure release clause in his contract that the Swedish FA would have to pay.

Eriksson's business manager, Lars Sternmarker, told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet: "Lars-Ake [Lagrell] has spoken to me and Svennis although I cannot reveal what was said for confidentiality reasons. But Svennis is Swedish at heart and feels very happy and flattered."

Asked whether he thought Eriksson would take the job Sternmarker said: "The federation has identified a number of options, and the fact they have called Svennis is not particularly strange since he is the most successful coach in Sweden. The purpose of these calls is to allow the federation to look over the possibilities, options and what the person himself wants. We cannot give any definite answers for a while, we think it's fun that a dialogue has been opened and that there is scope for more discussions."